South Africa

After completing my Middle Eastern segment, I was sick of being part of tours. Listening to a tour guide speak, taking a few pictures before heading to the next stop is not something I want to do again. I can’t stand it any longer!

That’s why when Karen and myself planned on going on a Kruger National Park safari, we knew we needed to take matters into our own hands and do a self-driven safari tour as oppose to having someone guide us.

This turned out to be one of the best decisions we have ever made, and has made my time in Kruger National Park my number one favourite during my entire time in South Africa.

Here are the reasons why doing your own self-driven safari in Kruger is the only way to go:

I didn't go to Africa to see the animals. This fact seems to surprise a lot of people who think the only things worth seeing on the continent are the Big 5, but the fact was I was there to meet the people, explore different cultures, and do some adrenaline sports. The animals were a draw, but only a small one.

That being said, I didn't expect my first experience to be quite so, well… boring.

I'd never given much thought to ostriches before South Africa, but apparently they're a big deal down here. Not only are they eaten (surprisingly delicious) and their hides turned into expensive leather, you can also ride an ostrich at one of the many ostrich farms in Oudtshoorn if you're feeling risky enough.

My first foray into Africa was the typical tourist way: I landed in Cape Town. A year before a Nigerian native had implored me to go to Africa: the real Africa, which apparently doesn't include South Africa because it is a tourist trap. I heard this sentiment reiterated time and time again, but nonetheless, I loved Cape Town.

I landed in the beginning of summer when the temperature were scorching. I arrived five days before my tour from Cape Town to Nairobi started, plus the first two days of the tour were free use days in Cape Town, so I had a solid week to see the city. And what a city it is. I was also lucky enough that I had my best friend flying over from Arizona to spend it with me.